Phytoplankton blooms off the Alaskan coast

Each spring, phytoplankton blooms off the Alaskan coast create striking blue and green water patterns.

Diatoms typically bloom first after sea ice breaks up, fueled by nutrient-rich Bering Sea Water, while coccolithophores thrive later in nutrient-poor waters.

The blooms' size varies from year to year, and more long-term research is needed to understand this variability.